There is an urgent need to address gender politics in the Egyptian parliament. Women’s representation in parliament fell from 13 per cent in 2010 to two per cent in 2011 despite the fact that the number of women who nominated themselves for office had doubled.
Further, the majority of women within that minute two per cent comprise a bloc endorsing an anti-women’s rights agenda, seeking to reverse gains made in family and child protection laws. A strategy of action for a more gender just parliament is of paramount importance. This briefing uses evidence from research on women’s candidature in 2011/12 and draws lessons on how to promote gender justice in Egypt’s parliament.